http://alesrarus.funkydung.com/archives/2659 A Rare Bird, A Strange Duck, One Funky Blog Fri, 29 Aug 2008 05:57:23 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc http://alesrarus.funkydung.com/archives/2659#comment-54381 Steve Nicoloso Wed, 09 Jan 2008 18:32:57 +0000 http://alesrarus.funkydung.com/archives/2659#comment-54381 Eric: It has been a while since I visited you (mostly due to the site not rendering in most browsers I use). I am glad to see you have put Nanny State Liberalism behind you and endorsed the only REAL conservative from either party! Finally, we agree on something!! Cheers!
It has been a while since I visited you (mostly due to the site not rendering in most browsers I use). I am glad to see you have put Nanny State Liberalism behind you and endorsed the only REAL conservative from either party! Finally, we agree on something!!

Cheers!]]> http://alesrarus.funkydung.com/archives/2659#comment-54092 The Recovering Choir Director » Popule meus Sat, 05 Jan 2008 20:55:38 +0000 http://alesrarus.funkydung.com/archives/2659#comment-54092 <!--%kramer-ref-pre%-->[...] Added: Why I Support Ron Paul by Eric [...]<!--%kramer-ref-post%--> [...] Added: Why I Support Ron Paul by Eric [...]]]> http://alesrarus.funkydung.com/archives/2659#comment-52854 Funky Dung Thu, 20 Dec 2007 18:29:39 +0000 http://alesrarus.funkydung.com/archives/2659#comment-52854 As affairs are run now, local governments do little more than tax and spend (waste, actually) while providing some useful services, state governments tax, borrow, and spend without providing much of any use, and the federal government taxes, borrows, and spends. Of the three, state government is least responsive to the will of the people who elected its members. The federal government is more responsive, but mostly to lobbies, not voters. Under a system of subsidiarity, instead of trying to being a fat, lazy nanny, the federal government would be a lean machine that does a few things reasonably well, or at least better than lower levels of organization could do them. Right now, it's a jack of all trades and master of none. Under a system of subsidiarity, state governments would be responsible for more actual governance. As such, voters would (hopefully) take more interest in its actions, and those elected would be more responsive to the people for whom they actually provide meaningful services. Under a system of subsidiarity, local governments probably wouldn't have to change much, but voters might begin to take more interest in their affairs. Under a system of subsidiarity, voters would have greater power to affect affairs at all levels. Why? Because they would have direct representation at all levels, and those levels would divvy up responsibilities in a more sensible fashion. Technically, we already have direct representation at all levels. In practice, though, those levels have poorly distributed powers and responsibilities, leading voters to care most about the level that affects them most. Right now that level is the federal government, which is growing by leaps and bounds, arrogating more powers to itself with every passing moment. That means that the effective representation voters have is limited to the members of the legislative and executive branches of the federal government. As I've said, these elected officials are more responsive to wealthy lobbies than average citizens, so even the most powerful governing body in our lives doesn't give a damn what we think. If instead of this sham of a republic, powers were handled at the lowest competent level, and according to the stipulations of the US Constitution, the effective degree of representation would more closely match the theoretical degree. That is, individual voters' ability to affect matters would be measurable by the number of offices they can elect people to.
Under a system of subsidiarity, instead of trying to being a fat, lazy nanny, the federal government would be a lean machine that does a few things reasonably well, or at least better than lower levels of organization could do them. Right now, it's a jack of all trades and master of none.

Under a system of subsidiarity, state governments would be responsible for more actual governance. As such, voters would (hopefully) take more interest in its actions, and those elected would be more responsive to the people for whom they actually provide meaningful services.

Under a system of subsidiarity, local governments probably wouldn't have to change much, but voters might begin to take more interest in their affairs.

Under a system of subsidiarity, voters would have greater power to affect affairs at all levels. Why? Because they would have direct representation at all levels, and those levels would divvy up responsibilities in a more sensible fashion. Technically, we already have direct representation at all levels. In practice, though, those levels have poorly distributed powers and responsibilities, leading voters to care most about the level that affects them most. Right now that level is the federal government, which is growing by leaps and bounds, arrogating more powers to itself with every passing moment. That means that the effective representation voters have is limited to the members of the legislative and executive branches of the federal government. As I've said, these elected officials are more responsive to wealthy lobbies than average citizens, so even the most powerful governing body in our lives doesn't give a damn what we think.

If instead of this sham of a republic, powers were handled at the lowest competent level, and according to the stipulations of the US Constitution, the effective degree of representation would more closely match the theoretical degree. That is, individual voters' ability to affect matters would be measurable by the number of offices they can elect people to.]]> http://alesrarus.funkydung.com/archives/2659#comment-52853 Tom Smith Thu, 20 Dec 2007 18:02:37 +0000 http://alesrarus.funkydung.com/archives/2659#comment-52853 "I believe that a government founded on subsidiarity, in which matters are handled at the lowest competent level, gives citizens greater power to affect affairs at all levels." How would such a system give individuals the ability to affect matters at levels of subsidiarity higher than themselves?
How would such a system give individuals the ability to affect matters at levels of subsidiarity higher than themselves?]]>